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Converse project showcased by Royal Mosa

03-12-2018 | Rotterdam

This month ConverseArchitects’ ‘Hoornbeeck College project’ showcased as a reference project for Mosa tiles. For over 130 years Royal Mosa has been producing tiles from the purest raw materials and with the magic of innovative Dutch design. Thanks to years of experience and a rich history in the production of ceramic tiles, timeless aesthetics comes together with functionality and pure craftsmanship.

In 2017 Converse worked on quality improvement and expansion of the existing Hoornbeeck College building in Rotterdam. A design and build assignment in collaboration with Ballast Nedam on the edge of the Zuiderpark. In this project Converse created a new structure and a central heart. With a multifunctional auditorium that can be used as a lunch and meeting room and offers a specific learning landscape to more than 1,700 high school students whose school and parents conform to the theological core values of philosopher and theologian Johannes Hoornbeeck (1617-1666).

It was our personal mission to have our client's faith identity reflected in architecture. We have therefore looked closely at Hoornbeeck contemporaries such as Frans Hals, Gisbertus Voetius and Pieter Jansz. Saenredam. The refined drawings and paintings of church interiors inspired us to think through lines and line perspectives. By sometimes literally applying line accents we have connected important spaces and created light.

Having worked with Royal Mosa for years, we found them to be the best ceramics partner to match this particular assignment. ConverseArchitects and Mosa meet each other in their contemporary, functional and innovative designs. At the Hoornbeeck project we worked with pure, sustainable materials as much as possible. Both the exterior (ocher yellow bricks) and interior ware inspired by the lines and colours of the Dutch Masters and landscape. The sky, water, rain, cloud cover, grass, harvest on the field, polder, reed and the color of the earth. The impressive and wide (natural) colour range of Mosa tiles simply fitted seamlessly. With the tiles being sleek in design and reflecting their Dutch character through purity and simplicity we couldn’t have found a better match.

Uitzicht, Wilgenrijk

01-11-2018 | Rotterdam

We are pleased to announce that Wilgenrijk Maassluis is organizing a second information meeting on 15 November for Uitzicht. A unique project based on an acient Germanic building method called the ‘terp’.

To completely understand the Germanic era, we need to go back in history for two thousand years. People then (now the Netherlands and West-Germany) lived in extreme swampy conditions, forcing them to build their houses and farms on higher levels to stay dry. This primitive construction is called a ‘terp’ and literally means ‘artificial hill’. Later on we obviously found smarter ways to keep dry feet, but the terp has kept the Dutch (living below sea level!) dry for centuries.

Whilst developing several projects for Wilgenrijk and carefully studying Dutch history in the process, ConverseArchitects and Plein 06 Landscape Architects came across the idea to build a modern version of a terp. Now using it to ‘hide’ cars so residents can enjoy the many advantages of owning a private island, share a magnificent garden and enjoying stunning views around. We therefore named this exclusive project ‘Uitzicht’, meaning ‘view’.

Machiel Hopman (architect)“When building in Wilgenrijk surrounded by the ultimate Dutch landscape we were immediately inspired to use original Dutch elements in the architecture used for Uitzicht. This allowed us to develop twelve highly sustainable terp villa’s and use exclusive materials and refined detailing along the way. So, natural materials like wood originally used in Dutch shipyards and sawing mills and a roof landscape directly referring to farming sheds. Built on a terp not only to experience the feeling of space and wideness, but also to increase the feeling of safety having a protective structure surrounding the residents. Within this theme we have created a very powerful relationship between ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ using a fair amount of glass facades and large windows”.

To accentuate the high basic standards used in Uitzicht, ConverseArchitects teamed up with several exclusive partners and quality brands. Every Uitzicht villa comes with a Bulthaup kitchen, Modular Lighting Instruments, Tortu bathroom, Mosa tiles, Bolith or solid wood flooring. We also found our interior partner Simone van Es Interiors happily willing to provide residents with a free interior design consult and direct access to her professional supplier network.

Simone van Es (interior designer)“For Uitzicht we have been working on several outstanding interior designs in different residential atmospheres. The light, space and superb inside-outside relationship was most inspiring, regardless of one’s personal style or taste. With more than generous length and width axes all spaces can be defined as very generous. On top of that, the parking garages below ground level make some of the villa layouts ‘split level’ which makes it even more interesting. Just Imagine four-meter-high doors providing access to your partly roof covered outdoor terraces! We are looking forward to working together with the future residents to help them create amazing interiors. We maintain close ties with several high end Dutch brands, so that could be a great added extra...!”

Information meeting 15 Novermber
Wilgenrijk is organizing an additional information meeting on November 15th, where more details about this exclusive project will be revealed. Many partners will be present to answer your personal questions, so sign up here if you are interested in joining this evening!

Ultimate Converseness Masters Moving Forward

25-09-2018 | Rotterdam

We are delighted to inform you that ConverseArchitects has moved to a splendid new office at the Lloydkade in the Rotterdam Lloyd-quarter. Surrounded by harbor activity, architecture, light, water and space it just couldn’t be a better match!

In the 17th and 18th century this part of the city of Rotterdam (Delfshaven) was used for liquor, pottery and arms trade. Around the year 1.900 the Lloyd-quarter harbor was built and after that the Lloydpier was used by shipping company ‘Royal Rotterdam Lloyd’ for passengers traveling to the Dutch Indies. Many street names in this district still refer to that time in history and several old warehouses (Java, Celebes, Borneo, Bali) were preserved to be conversed into apartments later.

The Lloyd-quarter now harbors about 1.750 private residences, 65.000 m2 of business space and is still expanding. Acient and modern architecture combined, schools, media, hotels, theatre, design, gastronomy, business, trade, black and yellow water taxi's speeding back and forth. We feel right at home here at the very end of the Lloydpier!

As from this week ConverseArchitects can officially enjoy ‘the best view of Rotterdam’ on a daily basis. So, feel free to drop by at any time to experience ultimate Converseness while enjoying a nice cup of coffee. The Masters of New Creations have moved forward, DO spread the word..!

Lely project on cover IMd book

29-06-2018 | Rotterdam

ConverseArchitects believes in strong and loyal relationships with his partners. Yesterday, on June 28, one of these preferred partners, IMd, structural engineers, launched their new book 'The Art of Constructing'. We are very humbled that IMd has chosen our Lely project for the cover of this book.
In this book Remko Wiltjer, Pim Peters, Rob Stark and Paul Korthagen - all four director-owners of IMd - showcase that structural engineering is much more than just a craft.

Due to our long standing and integral cooperation with IMd, we’ve been able to realise many outstanding projects together, such as Lely, Hoornbeeck and Uitzicht.

More information on the structural construction of the Lely project can be found here:
imdbv.nl

First meeting Uitzicht

14-06-2018 | Rotterdam

Thursday the 14th of june 2018 you are welcome to join the first meeting of Uitzicht in Wilgenrijk. The designers of Plein 06 and ConverseArchitects will tell you about the ideas and the choises they had to make during the design process. The programm starts from 19:15 till 20:15. Afterwords you can ask the designers questions about the project. You can find more information on the Uitzicht website.

Buitengoed Wilgenrijk

13-06-2018 | Rotterdam

Together with urban design agency Plein06, Converse Architects has developed the concept for the Buitengoed area. From the beginning in the early sketch phase we worked together, so there is a clear connection between the green outdoor spaces, the streets and the transitions between inside and outside. Because of the collaboration between our offices, we have already realized several successful projects in Wilgenrijk.

Brickwork Hoornbeeck College project of the month

22-03-2018 | Rotterdam

The brickwork of the Hoornbeeck College in Rotterdam is chosen "Project of the month" by Aberson. Aberson is the biggest supplier of bricks and facade materials. Read more about the project on the Aberson website.